The Forrest City times., 1887-12-31
CHAPTER N

All that night we were in a great hustle getting things slowed in their place and boassful of the squire's friends, MT. BIsndIv and the like, coming off to wish him good voyage and safe return. We neee, had a night at the Admiral Benbow when 1 had half the work; and was dog-tred when, little before dawn, the boatswain sounded his pipe, and the crew began to man the cspstan-bars 1 might have been twice as weaty, yet 1 would not have left the deck, all was so new and interesting to me-the brief commands, the shri,l note of the whistle, the men bustling to their places in the glimrier of the ships lanterns,
 Now, Barbecue, tip up stave," cried one voice.
 "The old one." cried another.
 'Ar, ay, mates,n said Long john, who was standing by, with his eruteh under his -.in, and at once broke out in the air and words knew 80 we'll:
 Fifteen men on the dead mans chest
 And then the whole crew bcre chorus.
 "Yo-ho-ho, and bottle of rum."
 And at the third 'ho!" drove the bars be- fore them With a will.
 Even at that exciting moment it carried me back 10 the old Admiral Benbow in second and seemed to heas the voice of the captain piping in the chorus. But soon the anchor was short up; soon it was hang ing dripping at the bows; soon the sails be- gan to draw, and the land and shipping to fit by an either side; and before coull lie down to snatch an hour of slumber the Hispaniola had begun her voyage to the Isle of Treasure
 am not going to relate that voyage in prD ha ebf proved to be good ship, the crew were ca pable seamen, and the captain thoroughly understood his business. But before we came the length of Treasure Island, two or three things had happened which required to be known.
 Mir Arrow, first of all. turned out even worse than the captain had feared. He had no command among the men, and the peo- pie did what they pleased with him. But that was by no means the worst of it.. for after day or two at sea he began to appear on deck with hazy eye, red cheeks stutter- ing tongue, and other marks of drunken ness Time after tune he was ordered be. low in disgrace Sometimes he fell and cut himself; sometimes he lay all day long in his little bunk at one side of the companion; sometimes for day or two he would be al most eODti anu atttuu to HIS Nolh ut fsot passably.
 In the meantime, we could never make out where he got the drink. Thai was the ships mystery. Watch him as we pleased we could do nothing to solve lt; and when we asked him to his face. he would only laugh. if he were drunk, and if he were sooer' deny solemnly that he ever tasted any taihg but water.
 He was not only uselessSs an officer, ana a bad influence among the men, but was plain that at this rate he must soon Kill nun self outright; so nobody was much surpriseu' nor very sorry, when one dark night, with head sea, he disappeared entirely and was seen no more
 .'Overboardr' said the captain. Well gentlemen, that saves the trouble Of putting him in irons"
 But there we were, without mate; anu it was necessary, of course, to advance one of the men, The boatswan, Job Andefsou' was the likeliest man aboard, and, though he kept his own title, he served in way aS mate. Mfr. Trelawney had followed the sea and his knowledge made him useful, TOT ne often took a watch himself in easy weather And inc coxswain. Israel Hands was care ful. willy, old experienced seaman, WHO eould be trusted at pinch with almost any thing.
 He was a great confidant of Long John Silvar and eo the mention of his name leads me on to speak of our ships cook, Barpecue' as the men called him.
 Aboard ship he carried his crutch Dy a lanyard round his neck, to have both iiahos as free AS possible. It was something to see him wedge the foot of the crutch against buIkhead, and propped against IL yieidihS to every movement of the ship, get on with his cooking like some one safe ashore. otiii more strange was it to see him in the heaV- jest of weather cross the deck. lie hau line or two rigged mp to help him acros' uie widest spaces-L Long Johns earrings they were called: and he would hand hlmseh from one place to another, now us'hs 'io cruteh. now trailing it alongside by tile lah yard. as quickly as another man could "sih' Yet some of the men, who had sailed wiih him before expressed their pity to see hlm 70 reduced.
 He's no common man, Barbecue, saia inc coxswain 10 me He had good schooi- ing in his young days, and can speak iAe hook when so minded; and brave-a non nothing alongside of Long John l seen nm srannle four. and knock their heads togeth- er-him unharmed. ,oa
 All the crew respected and even ooeyea him He had way of talking to each anu doing everybody some particular service To me he was unweariedly kind; ana ai- ways glad to see me in the galley. when ne kent as clean as a new pin; the dishes hahe. ing up burnished, and his parrot In a cage in one corner ,,,a s.v.
 Come away, Hawkins" he would say, .come and have yarn with John. Nooo1y more welcome than yourself, my son. sl' you down and hear the news. Heres Cap FIint-I calls my parrot Cap'n Flint ai,ei ths famous buecaneer--heTe's Capn rhhl predicting success Io our wage Nasa ssss ess'aF'